Family background, cognitive ability, and personality as predictors of educational and occupational attainment

Abstract
The addition of personality measures to measures of family background and of cognitive ability substantially increased prediction of the educational attainment of middle‐aged males and females. The addition of personality measures to measures of family background, cognitive ability, and own educational attainment substantially increased the prediction of the occupational attainment of middle‐aged males. Despite some differences, results generally were similar across sexes and ethnic groups.